Document-Authorized Access to a Shared Workspace

1. A computerized method comprising: receiving, by a computer server, a request from a first client device to instantiate a shared workspace for an electronic document, the electronic document having a displayable content portion and a non-viewable metadata portion; generating, by the computer server, the shared workspace for the electronic document, the generated shared workspace being a data repository apart from the electronic document and configured to store workflow data, the workflow data comprising data representative of modifications and/or comments associated with the displayable content portion of the electronic document; generating, by the computer server, an encryption key in association with both the generated shared workspace and the electronic document, the encryption key configured as a sole credential for accessing the workflow data stored in the shared workspace and further configured for indexing the generated shared workspace; sending, by the computer server in response to the request, at least the encryption key and a Uniform Resource Identifier representing a location of the shared workspace, for accessing the workflow data stored in the generated shared workspace, both the encryption key and the Uniform Resource Identifier configured for insertion into the non-viewable metadata portion of the electronic document; and receiving, by the computer server from a second client device having a local instance of the electronic document including both the encryption key and the Uniform Resource Identifier inserted into the non-viewable metadata portion, workflow data representative of modifications and/or comments to the electronic document for storage to the generated shared workspace.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic document is local to the first client.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request to instantiate the shared workspace for the electronic document is based on a verification the first client is authorized to request instantiation of the shared workspace.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the client initiator is authorized to request the instantiation of the shared workspace in accordance with a verified user ID and password in view of a permissions database.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein accessing the workflow data stored in the shared workspace includes access for reading and writing data to the shared workspace.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising: receiving a second request to disable access to the workflow data stored in the shared workspace, the second request preventing access for reading and writing data to the shared workspace.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second request is received from the first client, and wherein only the first client can access the workflow data after the second request to disable access to the workflow data is received.

8. A computerized method comprising: accessing, by a first client device, a local instance of an electronic document provided by a remote client device that created a shared workspace, the local instance of the electronic document having a displayable content portion and a non-viewable metadata portion, the non-viewable metadata portion including at least a first encryption key and a Uniform Resource Identifier of a computer network location; receiving, by the first client device, input representative of one or more modifications, comments, or combinations thereof to the local instance of the electronic document; generating, by the first client device, a workflow data package including a representation of the received input and a copy of the first encryption key; requesting, by the first client device using the first encryption key as a sole credential, access to the shared workspace located at the Uniform Resource Identifier, the shared workspace being a data repository apart from the electronic document configured to store workflow data indexed by the first encryption key; and communicating, by the first client device, the workflow data package to the shared workspace for storage as workflow data associated with the electronic document.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising: receiving, from the shared workspace located at the Uniform Resource Identifier, workflow data associated with the electronic document.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising: storing the received workflow data associated with the electronic document with the local instance of the electronic document.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the workflow data package is signed by the first encryption key.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the non-viewable metadata portion of the local instance of the electronic document further includes a second encryption key that is unknown to the shared workspace located at the Uniform Resource Identifier.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the workflow data package is encrypted as a function of the second encryption key.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein requesting access to the shared workspace and communicating the workflow data package occurs upon detection of a save action received for the local instance of the electronic document.

15. A system comprising: a first client device comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the first client device, cause the first client device to: communicate a request to a computer server over a computer network to instantiate thereon a shared workspace for an electronic document, the shared workspace being a data repository apart from the electronic document and configured to store workflow data comprising data representative of modifications and/or comments associated with a displayable content portion of the electronic document; receive, in accordance with communicating the request, a Uniform Resource Identifier of a computer network location of the shared workspace and a first encryption key representing an index location of the workflow data stored in the shared workspace; insert into a non-viewable metadata portion of the electronic document at least the Uniform Resource Identifier and the first encryption key into the electronic document, the first encryption key configured to act as a sole credential for accessing the shared workspace located at the Uniform Resource Identifier; and send an instance of the electronic document to a second client device to enable the second client device to send workflow data to the shared workspace, wherein the workflow data represents modifications and/or comments to the displayable content portion of the electronic document.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the electronic document is local to the first client device.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein inserting into the non-viewable metadata portion of the electronic document further includes inserting a second encryption key configured for encrypting workflow data.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the second encryption key is unknown to the shared workspace.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein further instances of the electronic document including at least the Uniform Resource Identifier and the first encryption key inserted into the non-viewable metadata portion can enable access to the workflow data in the shared workspace.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the non-viewable metadata portion of the electronic document further includes a second encryption key configured for encrypting workflow data, and wherein the second encryption key is unknown to the shared workspace and can be provided to recipients of further instances of the electronic document for encrypting and decrypting the workflow data.